ENCHANTED WORLD SERIES BOOK 4: MOON CHILD'S WAR

Ruvin had been waiting for this moment for what felt like an eternity. He couldn’t wait any longer. His need for Alli was bound to drive him crazy. He told himself that he was going to wait until she was better but when he saw her thinking about males in the likes of Titus and Faelen he lost it completely. The beast in him raged at the audacity she had to think about anyone else. It was that, together with the fact that she wanted to go home that finally snapped the last string to his control.

He was on autopilot and all he could think was to fully claim her so that any male getting close to her would smell his scent all over her and stay away.

Alli was his...

As he claimed her lips, he felt her soften underneath him, her pliant body molding itself around his. She was warm again and she was holding onto him as if he was her only anchor to that world.

Only the heavens knew how long he had been waiting for her to trust him like that. He teased her lips with soft kisses and nips then licked away the sting and looked deep into her eyes.

“Do you want to join me for a shower today?” He suggested. The last thing he wanted was to make Alli uncomfortable on her first experience with being with a male.

She hesitated for just a second and her face suddenly turned overly red before she gave a small nod. Ruvin moved from her and scooped her off his bed before taking her towards the large bathroom.

He ran the bath and made sure the temperature of the water was just right before he proceeded slowly undressing the female in front of him. Her breath hitched when he pulled away the thin strings that were holding her hospital garb together. Her hands fisted against her sides and Ruvin could tell she was very nervous but he didn’t see the reason as to why she should be.

She was perfect for him. She was beautiful in everything that she was. He loved every part of her so she didn’t have to be so scared with him.

Her hands suddenly shot up to try and stop him from continuing. She grabbed his hands and took a deep breath.

Ruvin drew down at kissed her softly, cajoling her to respond. Alli responded almost immediately, parting her lips and letting him enter her mouth, seeking for her tongue and teasing it with his. A shiver ran through her, as the kiss became demanding.

Ruvin finally loosened the patient gown and slipped it off her shoulders letting it pool around her feet. Her skin was so hot and flushed. She tried to shrink away from him but Ruvin quickly grabbed her hands and forced them around his shoulders.

“Don’t cower away from me, Alli.” He rumbled softly at her. His voice was thick and full of desire. The need for Alli was so thick in his veins that all he could think of was just to take her right there in front of him but he kept on reminding himself that Alli was not experienced.

“I don’t even know what to do.” She laughed nervously. “I am so scared.” She whispered.

Ruvin touched her chin and lifted her head up so that she looked at him. “You don’t have to fear me, Alli. I will never hurt you. I love you so much to even think about hurting you. You have to trust me.”

Alli nodded vigorously and tried to calm down. As Ruvin moved down her body and hooked his fingers in the waist of her panties. Pulling them slowly down her legs, he kept his eyes on hers so that she saw the desire he had for her. He was hers for eternity so she didn't have to think along the lines that he might up up and leave after this.

His palms circled her calves and helped her step out of the panties then stood in front of her and took her in. He had never seen such an enthralling sight. She was perfectly molded for him. She had a long and slender neck. Her shoulders were not very wide but not very small either. Her breasts...Ruvin breathed in hard when he saw them tighten into tight pearls in the cool air. Her stomach was flat and her hips flared. Her legs were long and lean. The Heavens took their precious time to mold her for him and it was worth the wait because he would not change even a hair on her head.

“You are so beautiful, Alli.” Ruvin drawled as he pulled her closer to him, feeding off her mouth again.

Alli melted into his arms, attacking his belt since he didn’t have a t-shirt on. His jeans slipped off and soon enough his boxers joined them.

Their bodies flashed together, skin on skin and warmth radiating around them.

Ruvin picked Alli up into his arms and took her to the Jacuzzi-sized bathtub. The water slurped around them as Ruvin sank them in, placing Alli on his lap and not letting her mouth go.

He remembered of the cold and drab environment in which he grew up in. He remembered the demeaning words the Father always told him about how his pitiful life was not going to mount into anything...

If only the Father could see him now. Ruvin thought as he hungrily kissed Alli with his arms tightening around her.

Thanks to the male, he had a life and he had a female he adored more than anything. The Father not only gave him enough fury to want to prove him wrong but Ruvin surpassed even his own expectations.

Ruvin was like an animal when the Lord Mage rescued him in that ditch together with his warriors as they did some perimeter scouting of the Mage fortress. Ruvin couldn’t even remember how he got there but the moment he saw the large male bending over him, his first instinct was to use his last strength to defend himself.

He tried to kill the Lord Mage that night but the male had him carried to the fortress and nursed back to health.

Ruvin was filled with so much hatred and fury and tried over and over again to kill the Lord Mage and anyone who got close to him but none of them gave up on him. Instead, Tyran taught him how to concentrate his hatred on doing something good with his life.

“If you want to kill me, mutt, build up your strength and technique then come find me.” He once told him.

Ruvin trained hard with the other males and improved on his technique. He was not going to be anyone else’s hound dog.

The time came to face the Lord Mage again, to kill him and escape but before Ruvin could even lift a finger, he was already on his back and out cold.

“If you can’t play nice then get out of my Fortress!” The Lord Mage snarled throwing him the parcel he had in his hands the night they found him.

Ruvin remembered looking down at the head of the male who had showed him nothing but pain and loathing then turned to the male who took him in, nursed him, fed him and let him train so that he could try and kill him at the end. Ruvin had nothing left in his life and nothing to go back to. The Lord Mage was angry with him because he saw something in Ruvin and wanted to nurture it but Ruvin thought it was returning back to slavery.

Ruvin remembered standing in front of the gates the whole day wondering what it was that he wanted to do with his life with the Father’s head in his hands.

Finally when the sun had set, Galea came forward, unmated and young back then and locked the gates before turning to Ruvin and saying.

“Dinner is getting cold and practice starts four a.m. tomorrow morning--don’t be late.”

Ruvin found himself following Galea back inside where there was a warm meal, male and female warriors who were happy to be there, who laughed and joked, teased and mocked and finally Ruvin slept in a bed fit for a king in his own chambers without worrying about anything else in the world.

Ruvin stayed and each morning, he talked to the head he kept with him, venting out his anger to it before his day started.

And now that he thought of it, he had not gone to see the male in what felt like an eternity. He made a mental note to go and see how he was doing...

Alli gasped softly as his teeth nipped at her lower lip, bringing him back to reality. Her hands were roaming around his back and neck trying to hold him closer and she already was.

Ruvin trailed his hands down her body and he loved the feeling of her skin. She didn’t have to do anything to get a reaction from him because just her small whispers were enough to tighten his erection to the point of pain. It throbbed on his stomach as he reached for the shampoo and began washing her hair for her.

She giggled as she did the same for him. Her fingers threaded themselves in his hair earning a purr from him. No matter what she did, even if it were something quite simple, Ruvin’s body reacted violently to it.

He couldn’t wait any longer. He placed a trail of kisses down from her neck to one of her pearly nipples. A gasp came from her when Ruvin eventually slurped the nipple into his mouth and sucked the sweet berry. She tasted out of that world and he wanted to taste each part of her. She moaned loudly as her body arched forward, pushing herself even closer to him.

Ruvin took his time, tantalizing it then turned to the twin nipple and gave it a similar treatment. Alli’s nails bit hard in his hair trying to hold onto him. Ruvin was sure she was going to draw blood but he didn’t care. The pain-pleasure sensations that were going through his body only heightened his need for her.

His hands grabbed her ass roughly and he ground her body against him with her stomach rubbing itself against the throbbing erection.

“I can’t hold back anymore.” He rasped against her lips shifting under her so that his phallus was placed at her entrance. Hot water swirled around them, keeping them warm and cozy, but Alli was suddenly stiff with nervousness.

Ruvin cupped her color stained cheeks and looked deep into her eyes. “Do you trust me?” He asked

Alli didn’t hesitate. She gave a quick nod.

“Then believe me when I tell you that I will not hurt you.”

Again Alli nodded wordlessly at him and bit into her lower lip. Ruvin caught the action and instinctively kissed her while teasing her lip away from her teeth then sighed. “This won’t do.”

He suddenly got up with soapy hair and skin and carried Alli to the large waterfalls shower. Making sure the temperature was just right, Ruvin took Alli under the waterfalls shower and helped her rinse away the shampoo and soap suds, all the while making sure his hands touched every part of her.

He turned her away from him and nudged her gently to the glass wall of the shower. Her ass cradled him and he gently teased her while leaving a trail of kisses from her nape and down her spine. He slowly slipped his hand around her hip and down to her core.

Alli whimpered and bit hard into her lip when she felt Ruvin’s fingers slip into the folds of her core. That was very intimate and she had never had any other male do that to her. With Ruvin, everything felt right and the more he touched and kissed her, the more she lost herself in him.

She felt him behind her, stroking himself over her butt. He was hot, hard and throbbing. She got a little scared every time she saw just how large he was. He was going to tear her apart for all she knew!

It will not happen....His voice shimmered into her mind. You were made specifically for me. As he continued administering his dose of kisses on her spine and neck, his fingers languidly stroked the bundle of nerves that made her a hot mess. Alli couldn’t control herself anymore so she arched back and let out a moan. She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes letting Ruvin carry her off to only where he knew.

She felt him everywhere around her. He was against her skin, in her nose and on her tongue. She couldn’t believe this was the same male she had been chasing away from the word go.

She had once wanted to run away from him because somehow what he made her feel scared the hell out of her. She had never felt like that for anyone else. True mates really existed and she was one of the few lucky wolves to find hers.

A grin appeared on her lips. Her mate was the badass pureblood lycanthrope that managed to bring down a team of Vargas and monster wolves. She felt his smile shimmer in her mind and tipped her head to the side so that she was able to look up at him.

She was no longer afraid of him because she trusted him completely. He showed her that he could be trusted. He showed her that he could be loved...

Ruvin tensed against her and she knew he must have picked up her thoughts. His eyes twirled with molten gold as he opened his mouth to say something but clamped it again when he couldn’t find the words to express himself. Alli touched his cheek softly and nodded softly.

“Yes, Ruvin. I love you.” She assured him.

Ruvin purred and turned his head into her palm like the way a dog would when it sought for attention. His hold tightened around her as he spun her to look at him and crushed his lips against hers. They were hot and demanding and mated with hers in a heated manner that had Alli’s body flare into life!

He pushed her onto the glass and anchored her thigh onto his hip. His tongue mimicked the strokes he did against the folds of her core as he prepared himself to enter her.

Alli was scared and excited at the same time. Would she feel pain? How long did she have to feel it?

“Stop it, Alli. Don’t think like that.” He growled at her as he stroked himself and placed himself at her entrance. He placed his other hand at the back of her neck and looked deep in her eyes. “If I hurt you, bite my chest, okay?”

Alli nodded vigorously and wrung her arms around his shoulders then placed her head between against his chest with the thudding of his heart calming her. When she felt him push inside of her, the sudden tightness had her gasp out loudly in surprise making Ruvin stop.

“Are you alright?” He whispered raggedly to her and the strain in his voice told Alli exactly how much he fought to control his desire and need for her.

“Yeah.” She breathed in hard and felt him push further.

Alli didn’t want to hurt Ruvin so instead of biting him, she bit her lower lip. Her core struggled to adjust to this new invasion. It felt alien yet right. This was Ruvin and he wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want. She felt him inch further into her and she groaned in the pain-pleasure that she was feeling. Heat streaked down her spine and legs.

A low growl-purr tore from Ruvin as he tightened his hold on her. The struggle for control went on. It was one of the reasons why she loved him. He always considered her wellbeing before anything else.

When he stopped, Alli thought the worst was over....until she felt him roll his hips and jabbed hard forward.

A yelp of surprise escaped Alli’s lips as pain seared her insides making her legs quiver. She grabbed harder onto with her nails digging into his skin that they left pink marks underneath. Ruvin didn’t stop as he continued moving in her.

The more he moved, the lesser the pain became and the tightness loosened. Finally, her body softened against the onslaught of Ruvin’s thrusts and it moulded itself against him. She felt heat pooling around her lower abdomen. She wanted to explode and allow herself to be carried off into a whirlpool of pleasure. Soft whimpers escaped her lips as Ruvin rolled his hips against her, hitting and teasing a certain spot inside of her that felt like it was about to drive her insane with pleasure. Every time Ruvin plunged, the heat increased until she thought she was going to get lost in it!

“Don’t fight it, Alli. Let it carry you away.” Ruvin rasped against her ear as he increased his tempo.

Alli arched back and cried out as the heat suddenly burst inside her and carried her off to a world of euphoria that had her staggering for breath and control. Ruvin was right behind her and when he climaxed, his mind opened up to Alli and his life flashed before her. She saw everything he went through and everyone he met. She felt what he felt for everyone but nothing could compare for what he felt for her.

Alli saw herself in his eyes and to him she was the most beautiful and the most perfect female he had ever met. There was nothing he didn’t like about her.

A sudden pain on her left collar bone brought her back to reality and this time she did sink her teeth into his chest. Ruvin jerked inside of her once more at the surprise attack from her. His hands trailed down to her butt and squeezed tightly while he ground against her, still deeply embedded in her.

When the pain stopped she sighed and placed a kiss on the teeth marks she left behind on Ruvin’s skin.

“Sorry...” She sighed softly as she moved back and rested her head against the fogged-up shower glass wall. She ran her hand on the pulsing heat on her collar bone and frowned when she felt the strange engraving.

She looked down at it and saw the black claw-like tattoo that had appeared there. It pulsed with energy. She looked at Ruvin and he was smiling at her. He took her hand from it and kissed her knuckles then drew down and kissed the tattoo. Heat seared down to her toes and curled them in pleasure.

“Oh! Donny has the same mark.” She told him.

“It’s the mark of my beast. It means you have been fully claimed by me. It also means that no other male can ever take you away from me; not Tyson, not Titus and definitely not Faelen.” He trailed kisses on her collarbone that had her shivering and aching for him again.

Alli rolled her eyes. “Possessive much?”

“Yes.” He answered as he withdrew from her and left her feeling empty and abandoned. She had to grab him quickly in order to get rid of the feeling of abandonment. “I am as possessive as they come.” He pulled her back under the shower and cleaned her up before wrapping her in a warm and fluffy white towel then took her back into his room.

Alli was stunned when Ruvin led her to his bed where he blew dried her hair until it was shiny and dry. She loved this new look. The brunette and silvery white was an interesting combination not to mention her new tattoo. Now, all she needed was a new lip piercing and she would be back to the old Alli.

“You need to eat before you collapse on me.” Ruvin said as he ravaged through his wardrobe looking for something for her to wear. He settled for a black Tshirt that reached Alli’s thighs and black panties that had Alli narrowing her eyes at Ruvin. For all she knew, she could be wearing his old girlfriend’s panties.

Ruvin made a disgusted face. “I will never do that to you, Alli. What do you take me for?”

Alli hummed softly but she wasn’t convinced.

“I had one of the helpers get some for you. I knew you would need some after you leave the infirmary.” He protested.

“So, you got me panties but you couldn’t get me a change of clothes?” She asked. Ruvin was just digging deeper into his own grave at the moment.

A cheesy grin that brought out his dimples appeared on his face. “I wanted you to wear my clothes and have my scent all over you now stop creating scenarios and come and eat.”

When Alli didn’t move, Ruvin crossed over in just two steps and grabbed her before throwing her over his shoulder.

Alli yelped in panic and started kicking. He reminded her of a caveman. Ruvin smacked her butt playfully and turned his face onto her thigh before biting her and none too gently either!

“Behave.” He growled in warning as he placed her on his lap and turned to the tray be had brought earlier.

Alli was throwing daggers at him with her eyes while she rubbed the area he had bitten her. He just grinned at her and a wet lock fell to his forehead giving him a boyish look.

Alli threaded her fingers in his hair, loving the silky wet strands that caressed her palm. “You should have dried your hair too. You could catch a cold.”

“No one catches a cold around here. It’s either you are poisoned, you are murdered, you have an accident or you die from old age.” He chuckled.

“So no diseases?” Alli’s eyebrows snapped up her forehead.

“Unless they are sorcerer enchantments, no.” Ruvin assured her.

“Awesome.” Alli breathed in hard and turned to the tantalising food before her.

“Mhhh....” Joyel, one of the Historian Elders, hummed lightly when he eyed Alli and turned to the thick book in front of him. “This is quiet interesting. She called on Gregor and Calister, you say?”

“Yep. I have the Lord Mage as my witness.” Ruvin assured him.

“How did you do that?” Joyel turned to Alli curiously.

Alli shrugged her shoulders playing nervously with her hair lock. Ruvin didn’t blame her. Joyel was very intimidating with his bushy black brows that came down in a frown.

“I don’t know. I don’t remember anything. I just remember thinking of anyone powerful enough to destroy Torin because he was hurting Ruvin.” She turned to him, her eyes shining at him. Ruvin felt his heart swell in his chest.

“Calister and Gregor happen to be quite the powerful duo. The late King Gregor was the Mage of Moon and Stars or in other words Mage of Luna Energies. And Calister....well he was in his own league entirely. I have never come across such a powerful Mage as him before. Though he was born as Mage of Light like the Lord Mage, he became known as the Enlightened Mage because of the power he was able to harness.” Joyel looked at Alli with bufflement in his eyes. “Being able to summon such powerful beings from the other side is very exceptional for a Death Walker. Death Walkers are known to have the ability to read instruments of death and being able to walk between the world of the dead and the living. You can also borrow time through pockets of space between this the current times and the past. Being able to summon spirits is a new trait I have never heard a Death Walker possess before but there is so much we don't know about your kind."

“I didn’t even know what I was doing.” Alli gave a little nervous laugh not wanting to reveal that she had foresight as well. “I mean I don’t even know if I can do it again.”

“There are only two other Death Walkers in this world. Elaine and Gus who are both in the Realm of Light. They are twins.” Joyel said and sighed. “Having a Death Walker in our Realm is a blessing in disguise but you should really take care because the pull to both worlds; the world of the living and the world of the dead, will become too much for you. You need to understand that you are living and that when you walk in the valleys of the dead, it is on borrowed time.”

Historians had a way of twisting everything so that it sounded almost impossible to understand.

“What about her beast? She lost her when she unleashed her powers for the first time.” Ruvin asked.

Joyel smiled knowingly. “She has not lost her beast.” He sat up and a pensive frown appeared on his brow as he turned the book towards Alli. “You see, beasts are entities living within other beings. They share the being’s soul, body and mind to the point you can’t really tell where the beast ends and where the being begins. However during very rare cases, when the being is in a traumatic state and is broadcasting too much distress, the beast’s need to protect its keeper becomes its sole aim.

“When this happens, the beast usually thinks for itself thus tears away from the keeper. When this happens, given the circumstance, the beast can’t return back into its keeper and becomes what we call a spirit guide.

“Your beast is with you, Alli. All you need to do is call her but she will not come from within you. She will have to pass through two worlds to come to you.” Joyel explained.

“What do you mean?” Alli asked, a little anxious to learn that Ylva was still around.

“Your beast tore away from you in the space between this world and the afterlife where you and Asari were. Some call it Limbo Alley but it is historically called Gorjin; the harness. That was when you broad-casted too much distress for her handle.

“She, however is not like you. She doesn’t have a physical body to return to so she remains in the Gorjin just like every other beast that has undergone this rare occurrence. Whenever you need her, she will come in her beast form but after she has fullfilled your need for her, she will return to this space.” Joyel explained as if he were teaching a child the ABCs.

“Oh....doesn’t she feel lonely in there alone?” Alli asked quietly.

“No, not really. The space in between this world and the afterlife is almost like a dreamland. You can mold it to what you want. There are also other beasts there with her so she might be having a better time there than you are here. The thing is that you don’t understand what sort of power you have, Alli. Being a Death Walker brings a heavy burden to you. For one, you could be the one to finally find all the missing mortal locks; the Light Sword and the Coral Spear.”

Ruvin crossed the room and settled next to Alli. “The Mortal Locks?”

Joyel nodded. “Yes. Being a Death Walker enables her track them down. Since all Mortal Locks were instruments of death she will be able to seek them out by reading their energies on the last place they were located.”

Alli turned to Ruvin with reluctance. “I don’t want to do that.”

“With time and experience, you will find them without even wanting to. As of now, the twins are being trained to find the Light Sword. But I believe you will master that skill before them. You are way stronger than them if you were able to call for aid from the afterlife.”

Ruvin could see how worried Alli was. She wasn’t the fearless person everyone thought she was. But one thing for sure was that Alli never let anything bring her down no matter how scary it was.

“One step at a time.” He whispered to her. “We will work on it when we get there.” He placed a kiss on her temple.

Alli gave a small nod but she didn’t look convinced. “So, when can I return home?” She finally asked.

“You can’t. Not now anyway. You will have to be able to control the amount of power you use at a time. You can only do that here. You will die if you try it back in the human world.” Joyel closed his thick book and placed his hands under his chin. “It will be interesting if you met the twins. Perhaps they might help you with one thing or the other....even though you seem stronger.”

“When do I start my training?” Alli sat up.

“Eager little thing, aren’t you?” For the first since they entered Elder Joyel’s office did Ruvin see him smile. “You will start your training when the Lord Mage agrees to it. He is not around at the moment so I suggest you talk to Zach, the second in command since the Queen is not around the Fortress for sometime now.”

At the mentioning of Zach’s name, Alli’s face lost color. She still felt that she was to blame for his recent state. Ruvin didn’t want to expose her to Zach anytime soon so when they were finally done talking to Joyel, Ruvin took Alli’s hand and led her out to the gardens. The distinct laughter and the reeking scent of a certain halfblood told Ruvin that Donny was around there with Blake.

The male fought hard and strong at the attack back in the human realm. He could be an asset in the team but Ruvin doubted the male would want to stay since he was still searching for his brother.

Ruvin took Alli deeper into the garden, loving the fact that she was finally distracted a little from her ordeal but the thousands upon thousands of flowers and plants surrounding them.

The air was filled with different scents and it gave the air a heady scent. Donny and Blake were sitting under one of the pergolas having a late lunch.

“....and my mother sees this butt-naked male dashing through the corridor with leaves sticking around his hair. I had never seen her so terrified before...” Blake was saying and Donny’s teary eyes were gleaming with mirth.

“I see you are in one piece.” Ruvin teased the halfblood as they joined them.

Blake looked up and smirked. “I happen to be one of the best fighters in the clan.” He ran his hand over the vine tattoo down his neck.

“It was by dumb luck that you managed to see another sunrise.” Ruvin growled.

“Then we were both lucky since we were both in the same attack. I heard you were hooking up with Torin up in the mountains. Aww, I see he even left his mark on you before his depature.” Blake grinned and both females giggled.

Smartass....Ruvin tapped into Blake’s wolf. Did you get any information concerning your brother?

Before the debut night, Sheyster told me she had something for me concerning him but I never got to go and see her. I will have to go back and see her. Blake answered.

Ruvin gave a little nod and turned to Alli. “Can I leave you here for a little while? There are things I need to do and deal with first.”

“Are you going to see Zach? What if he hurts you?” Alli asked, anxiety clouding her face.

“Zach will never hurt me. He is my brother and my best friend.” Ruvin got up and tucked his hands in his pockets. “Behave while I am away, okay? Just because I am not here, it doesn’t mean I can’t feel what you are up to.”

Alli gave him a flat look. “You are not my mother, Ruvin.”

“Thank the Heavens for that.” He placed a kiss on her lips and grinned before walking off.

Be careful. Alli thought.

I will. His reply came.

Vixen.....

Vixen flexed her wounded wrist and though there was still some pain, she was able to endure it. She had shattered it on the night Torin struck. It was still a little swollen and stiff but she thought if she had to sit around doing nothing, it was going to drive her crazy. She decided to go down to the gym where she found Jake sprawled on the floor panting vigorously, the cast on his arm and leg sawed off!

“Are you crazy?” Vixen hissed as she approached him. “If you don’t take care of yourself and your wounds, you will end up a cripple for the rest of your life.”

Jake turned his face to Vixen. His eyes were bright with adrenaline and his hair stuck around his sweaty face. He took a deep breath and hefted himself up. “It’s better than me spending six months in a cast while my father’s killers are freely roaming the streets.” He removed the punching gloves of his hands and flexed his wounded arm.

Vixen noticed that it looked better than it did a few days ago. “Tron performed a healing session for you?”

“Willow too and I can say it has actually worked. My shattered bones have healed and my wounds are just superficial.” He assured her.

“Still you need to take care of yourself. And as I told you, the hunters died along with the sorcerer.” Vixen didn’t want Jake to hurt himself even more.

They all knew the male was putting a brave face for everyone but he was hurting inside. When Quentin died, it broke him apart. Quentin managed to hold down and support his children even though his wife died several years ago. They only had each other and that was why they kept themselves together.

Killing off Quentin was like getting rid of Jake’s and Tessa’s anchor. Now though they had each other, everyone could see the gap that had already been torn open.

“They are still more out there. The sorcerer only managed to get to several of them but I know there must be more out there still hunting down supernatural beings for sport.” The disgust in his voice made Vixen look at him suddenly.

Something inside Jake had changed dramatically. He was no longer that easy going and cocky male Vixen had come to know. He was hard and brutal....almost cruel now that he had only himself and Tessa to look after.

“You need to give yourself time to grieve-”

“Grieving will not bring my father back!” Jake barked. “He is dead, Vixen! And he is not coming back.”

Vixen pursed her lips. Angering Jake all over again was the last thing she wanted to do but seeing him so....grim, made Vixen a little worried. He could get himself killed because of his blind fury. He shouldn’t be out hunting at all in the state that he was.

“Look....” He rake his hands in his hair and sighed as he tried to calm down. “I am sorry, Vixen. I didn’t mean to yell at you.”

“You are angry, I get it. But that will only get you killed out there. If you want to really take care of these sons of bitches then you need to concentrate.” She placed her hands on her hip and let out a foul curse. “This won’t do. Come on, get up.” She changed her stance ready for an attack.

“What?” Jake looked up at her in surprise.

“You want to go out there and fight the hunters? It’s not happening until you pass through me first.” She told him.

“And me.” A voice came from behind and when they both turned, Raul entered the gym ready for practice.

“Me too.” Lukas also entered looking like a menace.

Now that Izzy was awake and walking around the house, Lukas had stopped punching each wall every time he walked around the house. Several walls had his mark in form of spider-web like cracks.

“You too?” Jake turned to Edon who entered the gym last with his hands deep in his pockets.

Edon shrugged his shoulders. “I am just here for the show. I don’t think I will be stepping on the mats for the next week.”

“Fine, let’s do this.” Jake got up and approached Vixen ready to attack her.

Vixen could see the light limp Jake still had and smirked. Jake was going to need a wheelchair by the time she, Raul and Lukas were done with him....

Several hours later.....

“What happened to him?” Indigo exclaimed when Jake was taken to the infirmary. Indigo was down there helping Briar and Tron with some healing studies.

Indigo might have appeared to be a petite and helpless damsel but she was a warrior in her own right and she knew a lot.

“Practice happened.” Vixen chuckled at the passed out male.

Indigo narrowed her eyes dangerously at Vixen. “He is human for crying out loud! How can you let him exhaust himself like this?”

“That was Lukas, not me.” Vixen quickly defended herself. “But why are you so fazed out by the human?”

“Me?” Indigo pointed at herself in surprise then turned to Briar who was laughing quietly. “Why are you talking about me and the human when you should be talking about these two?”

“What?” Briar’s head snapped up.

Indigo hummed knowingly. “Yes, you. Do you think I don’t see you creeping in and out of Tron’s room every night?”

Tron looked down at Briar’s ashen face and had a good laugh before placing a kiss on her temple.

“So, it’s finally official? You two are an item?” Vixen asked.

Both Tron and Briar turned to her. Vixen had known that Tron and Briar were extending....services in between the sheets. In fact the whole house knew but people feigned ignorance so as not to make Briar uncomfortable but now, it looked like Tron didn’t care if they knew.

“That’s none of your business, Vixen.” Tron assured her.

Well, how about that? Vixen thought sarcastically and turned to Indigo who was passing a little energy on Jake’s wounds again. She frowned lightly. Indigo was always too absorbed in her work that she never really saw anything past her books yet here she was healing a human.

“Whatever.” Vixen rolled her eyes. “The commander said he is on his way here right now so we better prepare for whatever he decides now that his mate can’t return to this Realm until she has full control of her abilities.”

“I have a feeling he will find someone else to stay here while he takes care of business back in the Enchanted World.” Briar sighed softly and turned towards Indigo and Jake. “And now that the largest threat had been eradicated, I don’t think we will need to stay here any further.”

“The weakbloods are still in danger. Not all those who were involved were caught--not to mention the hunters that are still after them.” Indigo said softly bathing Jake’s forehead with energy.

She had a point but Vixen felt they couldn’t do anything without a leader. They still needed Ruvin back in the enchanted world.

As if on cue....Ruvin suddenly walked in with Constantine. He had Izzy and Edon behind him.

“I need you all of you up in the entertainment room in ten minutes. I need to talk to all of you.” He told them and went away leaving everyone surprised behind him as they quickly dashed out to listen what he had to say....